Harry Potter actor Dan Radcliffe has given his support to The Trevor Project, a nationwide suicide prevention telephone helpline for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (GLBTQ) youth, by contributing a major donation to the non-forprofit organization. In a press release, the Trevor Project notes the young actor’s support of their Circle of Hope project which involved many major donors who support the group. Dan Radcliffe is quoted in the release as saying:

“I am very pleased to begin my support of The
Trevor Project, which saves lives every day through its critical work… It’s extremely distressing to consider that in
2009 suicide is a top three killer of young people, and it’s truly
devastating to learn that LGBTQ youth are up to four times more likely
to attempt suicide than their heterosexual peers. I deeply hope my
support can raise the organization’s visibility so even more despondent
youth become aware of The Trevor Helpline’s highly trained counselors
and Trevor’s many other resources. It’s vitally important that young
people understand they are not alone and, perhaps even more important,
that their young lives have real value.”

The Trevor Project, which began in 1998, aims to work towards suicide prevention efforts among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth in the United States. The organization comprises many ventures including “Dear Trevor, an online question-and-answer forum for young people with questions surrounding sexual orientation and gender identity; The Trevor Survival Kit,
an educational kit distributed to schools and youth service providers
to help educators facilitate discussions about suicide, gender identity
and sexual orientation; and TrevorSpace, an online social networking
community for LGBTQ youth, their friends and allies.”

The 24/7 Trevor Helpline can be contacted in the United States by calling 866-4-U-TREVOR (866-488-7386).